EcuadorTravelling with ADHD medication: rules, permits and documents
South AmericaLast checked 20 Jul 2026Medium confidenceHow we rate a record
Every medication we track can come into Ecuador on your prescription, carried in original packaging.
Serious penalties: Ecuador references a list of prohibited substances (not published in the traveller table), enforcement is strict, and the authority named on the 2014 table (CONSEP) has been dissolved. Its functions moved to ARCSA/MSP. Confirm the current prohibited list and authority before travel.
By medication
Brand names first, generic in brackets. Each line resolves the drug class rule below, plus anything Ecuador records specifically for that medication.
- Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine)Prescription
Ecuador allows ADHD stimulants (psychotropic substances) for personal use with a valid prescription and presentation of the original prescription at customs. The INCB template lists no specific quantity limit or prohibited stimulants.
- Ritalin, Concerta (methylphenidate)Prescription
The same rule as Vyvanse above.
- Dexamphetamine (dexamfetamine)Prescription
The same rule as Vyvanse above.
- Strattera (atomoxetine)Prescription
Atomoxetine, guanfacine ER and viloxazine are not internationally scheduled; bring with prescription in original packaging. No specific Ecuador ban found.
- Adderall (mixed amphetamine salts)Prescription
The same rule as Vyvanse above.
- Intuniv (guanfacine)Prescription
The same rule as Strattera above.
- Qelbree (viloxazine)Prescription
The same rule as Strattera above.
Rules by drug class
Narcotic (opioids)
Prescription- Quantity
- No official traveller quantity is published
- Permit
- Not required. Documentation-based entry; no separate import permit and no numeric quantity is published. The authority named on the 2014 table is CONSEP; its successor is not named in any registered source.
- Documents
- prescription, home authority certificate, medical certificate, customs declaration
Psychotropic (ADHD stimulants, benzodiazepines, sleep)
Prescription- Quantity
- no specific limit stated
- Permit
- Not required. No Ecuadorean authorisation is asked for: a valid prescription, with the original presented at customs. No certificate from Ecuador's own health authorities appears on the published traveller table, which dates from June 2014 and names CONSEP, a body since restructured. Confirm the current authority with the Ministerio de Salud Pública before travel.
Not internationally controlled
PrescriptionAtomoxetine, guanfacine ER and viloxazine are not internationally scheduled; bring with prescription in original packaging. No specific Ecuador ban found.
If a country asks for a certificate from your own health authority
Australia does not issue export certificates for personal medication. There is no Australian office that endorses a traveller's certificate the way a Schengen country's health authority endorses an Article 75 certificate. The Office of Drug Control licenses commercial exporters, and the TGA regulates products rather than certifying individual travellers, so neither will stamp your paperwork.
What to do instead: ask your prescriber for a signed letter on practice letterhead giving your name and passport number, each medicine by generic and brand name, strength, daily dose, total quantity and the dates it covers, plus the prescriber's registration number and contact details. Have it dated close to departure, and carry the original dispensing labels.
Then contact the destination's authority in writing before you book, say plainly that Australia does not issue the certificate they ask for, and ask what they will accept in its place. Keep the reply. A written answer from the authority is the strongest document you can carry, and it is the only thing that closes this gap.
Responsible authority
National Directorate for Monitoring and Control, National Narcotic and Psychotropic Substances Control Board (CONSEP)
Address: General Robles E-4-54 y Rio Amazonas, Quito; Tel/Fax: (593 2) 022-940-300 ext. 2604; email: jjimenez@consep.gob.ec
Sources
The source behind everything above, so you can check it yourself rather than take our word for it. Always confirm the current rule with the source before you travel.
Your trip pack
A doctor's letter for Ecuador, filled in with your medications and your stops, ready to sign.
The rules above are free and stay free. The pack is the paperwork that goes with them: a checklist for each stop in travel order, a printable PDF, and the letter to take to your GP.
Build your trip packThis page organises publicly available government information and links. It is not legal or medical advice. Rules change and enforcement varies, so always confirm with the official sources above or the Ecuador embassy or consulate before travelling.